Ministers to ‘repair’ spending power drop for pensioners

lodewijk asscherSocial affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher plans to ‘do his best’ to ensure no one has less to spend next year, the minister said in a reaction to new economic figures.

The government’s macro-economic planning bureau CPB published new figures on Tuesday which will form the basis for the September budget. Although the economy is set to grow faster than planned, people on social security benefits and pensioners will have less to spend, the forecasts show.

In particular, pensioner groups have already protested about a forecast 1.1% drop in spending power, which they say will be the seventh in as many years.

‘The spending power developments must be repaired,’ Asscher told broadcaster Nos.

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